The waters, scattered in the clouds by the forces of vapor, fire, and wind, are held aloft without being lost; the clouds retain them securely. When the time is ripe, these waters, purified by the passage of time and driven by the wind, descend from the sky, becoming pure as they fall to earth, O wise sages. The blessed Sun himself draws up four kinds of water, O twice-born: from rivers, from oceans, from the very earth, and even from living beings. Especially, the radiant Sun takes up the celestial waters of the Ganges and, with his rays, sends them down to earth, even when the sky is clear and free of clouds. O best of the twice-born, one whose sins and impurities are washed away by contact with this sacred water is freed from the path to hell, for such an ablution is called a divine bath. The water seen by the Sun falls from the sky even without clouds; this water of the celestial Ganges is cast down by the Sun’s rays upon the cows. When water falls from the sky and touches the uneven constellations beginning with Kṛttikā, having seen the Sun, know that it is Ganges water, born from the elephants of the directions. But when the water falls upon the paired constellations, rising with the Sun, it is immediately drawn up and removed by the Sun’s rays. Both kinds of water are supremely holy, O twice-born, and remove the sins of people; the celestial Ganges water is especially divine for bathing. The water released by the clouds nourishes all living beings, O twice-born, sustaining all plants as if it were nectar for life itself. By this water, the entire family of medicinal plants grows greatly; it causes fruits to ripen and enables the birth of offspring. With this water, those who see with the eye of scripture perform their daily sacrifices, nourishing the gods thereby. Thus, sacrifices, the Vedas, the castes beginning with the twice-born, all groups of gods, herds of animals, and all beings exist and are sustained. All the world, both immobile and mobile, depends on rain for its sustenance, and that rain is produced by Savitṛ, O best of sages. Savitṛ is the firm foundation of all; the fixed star is Śiśumāra, and it too rests upon Nārāyaṇa. Nārāyaṇa abides in the heart of that Śiśumāra; he is the supporter of all beings, the primordial and eternal one. Thus, O best of sages, I have described the Brahmāṇḍa, joined with the earth, the ocean, and all else. What more do you wish to hear? The sages replied, “Please speak to us of the holy tīrthas and sacred places upon the earth, O knower of dharma; our minds long to hear of them.” He whose hands, feet, and mind are well restrained, who possesses learning, austerity, and fame, attains the true fruit of tīrtha. The purified mind, speech, and controlled senses—these are the bodily tīrthas that awaken the path to heaven. But a mind corrupted within is not purified by bathing at tīrthas, even if washed hundreds of times with water, just as an impure wine vessel is not cleansed by mere washing. Neither tīrthas, nor gifts, nor vows, nor hermitages can purify one whose intent is wicked, whose taste is for deceit, and whose senses are uncontrolled. Wherever a person dwells, having brought his senses under restraint, there is Kurukṣetra, Prayāga, and Puṣkara. Therefore, listen as I briefly speak, O best of sages, of the tīrthas and sacred places upon the earth as they truly are. Even in a hundred years, it is not possible to describe in detail the first holy place Puṣkara and also Naimiṣāraṇya. I will also tell you of Prayāga, Dharmāraṇya, Dhenuka, Campakāraṇya, and Saindhavāraṇya. Then there are the sacred Magadhāraṇya, Daṇḍakāraṇya, Gayā, Prabhāsa—the glorious holy place—and the divine Kanakhala. Further, Bhṛgutuṅga, Hiraṇyākṣa, Bhīmāraṇya, Kuśasthalī, Lohākula, Sakedāra, and Mandarāraṇya. Mahābala, Koṭitīrtha which destroys all sins, Rūpatīrtha, Śūkarava, and Cakratīrtha of great merit are also renowned. There are Yogatīrtha, Somatīrtha, the holy Sāhoṭaka, the sacred Kokāmukha, and the mountain Badarī. Somatīrtha, Tuṅgakūṭa, the holy Skandāśrama, Koṭitīrtha, Agnipada, and Pañcaśikha are also among them. Dharmodbhava, Koṭitīrtha, Bādhapramocana, Gaṅgādvāra, Pañcakūṭa, and Madhyakesara are sacred as well. Cakraprabha, Mataṅga, the famous Kruśadaṇḍa, Damṣṭrākuṇḍa, Viṣṇutīrtha, and Sārvakāmika are holy places. So too are Matsyatila, the splendid Badarī, Brahmakuṇḍa, Vahnikuṇḍa, and Satyapada. There is Catuḥsrota, Catuḥśṛṅga mountain with its twelve streams, Mānasā, Sthūlaśṛṅga, Sthūladaṇḍa, and Urvaśī. Lokapāla, Manuvara, Somāhva mountain, Sadāprabha, Merukuṇḍa, and the holy Somābhiṣecana are also sacred. Mahāsrota, Koṭaraka, Pañcadhāra, Tridhāraka, Saptadhāra, Ekadhāra, and Cāmarakaṇṭaka are holy places to be revered. Śālagrāma, Cakratīrtha, the unsurpassed Koṭidruma, Bilvaprabha, Devahrada, and Viṣṇuhrada are sanctified. Śaṅkhaprabha, Devakuṇḍa, Vajrāyudha, Agniprabha, Puṃnāga, and the peerless Devaprabha are also among the tīrthas. Vidyādhara, with Gandharvas, the glorious holy place, Brahmā’s lake, Sātīrtha, Lokapāla, and Maṇipuragiri—these too are sacred. Thus, O sages, the earth is adorned with countless tīrthas and holy places, each sanctified by divine presence and remembered for the merit they bestow.